According to The Boston Consulting Group's recent report, Sprinting to Value in Industry 4.0, "The value created by Industry 4.0 vastly exceeds the low-single-digit cost savings that many manufacturers pursue today. The new technologies promise to revolutionize manufacturing, thereby shifting the competitive balance among countries and transforming the industrial workforce."

However, the foundation of Industry 4.0 is automation and data exchange, and InfinityQS found in its recent survey of 260 manufacturers that 75% of respondents are still manually collecting data. 47% of those rely on pencil and paper. The survey, which included some of the world's largest manufacturing organizations, sought insight into the manufacturers' needs, processes, and uses for data collection.

To facilitate Industry 4.0, manufacturers must automate and standardize data collection processes and create a centralized repository that is accessible to all stakeholders within the organization. When data is unified, from all sources, it's possible to visualize more than a single aspect of operations. The outcome is real-time visibility of the entire enterprise, from end to end -- including suppliers, incoming inspection, raw materials, in-process checks from shop floor operators and the quality lab, process data, packaging, and finished products. This visibility identifies potential opportunities to increase output, decrease costs, and improve quality across manufacturing operations.

Michael Lyle, president and CEO, InfinityQS, said, "To reach the full potential of digital transformation, it's vital to find the right talent and resources to configure and deploy the technologies, as well as interpret the resulting data. However, what many manufacturers don't realize is that it's not an all or nothing proposal. There are small, less expensive steps that can be taken to adopt Industry 4.0 in a more iterative and agile manner."

About InfinityQS International, Inc.InfinityQS International, Inc. is the global authority on data-driven enterprise quality. The company's Manufacturing Intelligence solutions deliver unparalleled visibility across the enterprise, from the shop floor to the boardroom, enabling manufacturers to Re-imagine Quality and transform it from a problem into a competitive advantage. Powered by centralized analytics, InfinityQS's solutions provide operational insight to enable global manufacturers to improve product quality; decrease costs and risk; maintain or improve compliance; and make strategic, data-driven business decisions. Headquartered near Washington, D.C., with offices in Seattle, London, and Beijing, InfinityQS was founded in 1989 and now services more than 40,000 active licenses with more than 2,500 of the world's leading manufacturers, including Ball Corporation, Boston Scientific, Graham Packaging, and Medtronic. For more information, visit www.infinityqs.com.

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